Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S7W-03389

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, following its consultation in late 2024, whether it will provide an update on progress towards the implementation of a disposable cup levy.

Question reference: S7W-03307

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Delivery Plan to introduce statutory nature restoration targets by 2026, for what reason consultation on targets has been delayed until 2027, and what steps it is taking to establish targets as soon as possible.

Question reference: S7W-03182

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that it meets its commitment to protect 30% of land for nature by 2030, in light of NatureScot data indicating that the proportion of land contributing towards the target increased by only 0.34 percentage points between 2025 and 2026.

Question reference: S7W-03183

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the issues raised in Scottish Environment LINK’s Nature Protection Scorecard.

Question reference: S7W-03181

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that protected sites are being effectively protected, in light of NatureScot data indicating a decline in the proportion of protected sites being monitored annually, from 97 sites (5.27%) in 2021 to 54 sites (2.94%) in 2025.

Question reference: S7W-02411

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its consultation on the Draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations, which closed on 29 August 2025, when it will publish the responses received.

Due to delays to the UK Government’s implementation timeline for Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) reform in England and Wales, the former Cabinet Secretary for Housing confirmed to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee on 9 March 2026 that, due to the impact of this delay on introducing EPC reform in Scotland, it would not be appropriate to lay the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations during that session of Parliament. The delay would impact landlords’ ability to obtain an EPC certificate which accurately reflects the new Heat Retention Rating. This letter can be found: https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/local-gov/correspondence/2026/epc-reform-and-energy-efficiency-standards_cab-sec-housing-to-lghp_9-march-2026.pdf

The Scottish Government has now laid the draft Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2026 before Parliament, which, if agreed, would see reformed EPCs introduced from April 2028. This new date reflects the UK Government’s revised timeline for EPC reform, to allow time for the roll-out of, and assessor training in, the new Home Energy Model, to be finalised during the second half of 2027. We will confirm the next steps to Parliament as soon as possible on our approach to the PRS MEES regulations.

Question reference: S7W-02452

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timetable for rolling out the £2 bus fare cap in (a) Stirling, (b) Fife, (c) Perth and (d) Clackmannanshire.

Question reference: S7W-02450

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a timeline for when it will review section 40 of the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

Question reference: S7O-00171

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to further update planning guidance in relation to the development of hyperscale data centres, following the new data centre planning direction issued on 17 August 2026.

Question reference: S7W-02451

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to notify relevant officials and enforcement officers of new vehicle idling guidance for local authorities since its publication in March 2026.